Electrical cables are used to interconnect electric motors to submersible pumps or other equipment in oil and gas wells. These cables ordinarily consist of three solid or stranded electrical conductors that are combined into a single cable.
Historically, electrical cables for submersible pumps have been rated for low voltage in the range of 5 kV and most electric submersible pump (ESP) motors have had name plate voltage below 5 kV. With the increasing demand for higher horsepower, ESP motors are now being built with name plate voltages greater than 5 kV requiring manufacturers to design cables with higher rating such as 8 kV. As the voltage of the electrical cables increase, the presence of any voids between the conductors and the insulation in an electrical cable can result in partial discharge. It is important to provide a higher voltage (greater than 5 kV) ESP cable with improved electrical strength and reduced partial discharge characteristics.